The Society of Environmental Journalists joined some 40 other journalism groups in a letter urging the White House to do more on improving the transparency of federal agencies. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest (pictured) had recently claimed President Obama had a good record on transparency in an August 30 letter to the New York Times. But journalism and open-government groups said plenty of problems remained — particularly press office interference with journalists' access to agency officials. See this WatchDog story.

"Climate change. Mental health. Space exploration. Vaccinations. The health of the oceans. Antibiotic-resistant superbugs. These are not the typical meat-and-potatoes topics of presidential debates. Often, the candidates and people who ask them questions skip over such topics entirely. But dozens of non-partisan groups that represent millions of scientists and engineers across the country are eager to change that."

"BAGHDAD — Record-shattering temperatures this summer have scorched countries from Morocco to Saudi Arabia and beyond, as climate experts warn that the severe weather could be a harbinger of worse to come."

"MIDDLEBURY, Vt. — There are shameful photos of me on the internet. In one series, my groceries are being packed into plastic bags, as I’d forgotten to bring cloth ones. In other shots, I am getting in and out of … cars. There are video snippets of me giving talks, or standing on the street. Sometimes I see the cameraman, sometimes I don’t. The images are often posted to Twitter, reminders that I’m being watched."

"Amid the pomp and circumstance of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on Friday, in between the fireworks and musical acts,...came a more somber message. In primetime, with the world watching, Brazil showed a video focused on the problem of global warming and climate change."